'This is for Diogo's fans, his family, for everyone': Work on Jota mural begins outside popular Wolves pub
Work on a mural dedicated to late Wolves icon Diogo Jota has started at a pub in Wolverhampton.
Managers at the Leaping Wolf, on Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton, have teamed up with local artist Joe Miles (Artwork by Joe) to create a mural dedicated to the former Wolves forward Diogo Jota.
Jota, who was 28, died alongside his brother Andre Silva in Spain on July 3 when the car they were travelling in experienced a blown-out tyre, leading the vehicle to crash and catch fire.
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Now, managers at the Leaping Wolf, which is described as a core Wolves supporter pub, have commissioned the mural featuring his likeness, saying that "it is not only for the Wolves fans, but his family and the football community" as well.
Manager at the Leaping Wolf, Daniel Morris, said: "We saw that Joe [Artwork by Joe] was looking for a spot to do a memorial for Jota, and we said we have the perfect spot. We have this huge black wall, and it's not far from the Molineux.
"I think it's really good for the community to have this here. After Jota's death, the whole football community came together because this was a young lad who lost his life. It really pulled everyone together.
"This mural, it's not just for our fans, but it's for Jota's family and all the people who appreciated him too. It shows the huge amount of respect that we have for him."
Joe, a Wolves supporter and artist from Birmingham, said the location of the mural holds a special significance with its proximity to the stadium.
He said: "It's really coming together; everyone who has stopped by today has really appreciated the piece. I used to watch Jota play, and he did some amazing things in the seasons that he played. It did hit close to home when he died.
"I think the location of it is significant. I had a few people reply to my post on Facebook where I asked for locations, but this just seemed right."
Joe added that since starting the mural, the community has paid for most of the paint used, and a local company, Summit Platforms, donated a scissor lift and cherry picker.
He said: "The GoFundMe that was set up got a good reaction, we managed to pay for the paints and materials, and Summit Platforms even donated a scissor lift and cherry picker, which was really nice.
"It's really coming along. I hope that when it's finished, everyone can enjoy it."
The mural is expected to be finished on Friday afternoon (August 15) when the Leaping Wolf hopes to have an unveiling party complete with a barbecue.
